Nearly ten people showed symptoms suggestive of botulism after consuming sardines from a jar in a Bordeaux restaurant.
- The Directorate General of Health has alerted about ten suspected cases of food botulism.
- The poisoned people all frequented the same catering establishment in Bordeaux and consumed sardines from jars.
- Botulism is an acute neurological pathology caused by a very powerful toxin produced by the bacteria Clostridium botulinum.
Nearly ten suspected cases of food botulism were recorded by the Directorate General of Health (DGS) between Monday September 4 and Sunday September 10. For the moment, one person has died and eight patients are hospitalized in Bordeaux and Île-de-France, including seven people in intensive care or in a continuous monitoring unit. “All cases attended the same establishment in Bordeaux between Monday September 4 and Sunday September 10, 2023 (Restaurant ‘TCHIN TCHIN WINE BAR’, bar very popular with Anglo-Saxon customers) and all cases consumed sardines in a jar made by the restorer (artisanal manufacturing)”explained the DGS in a statement published on Tuesday September 12.
The appearance of other cases of botulism is not excluded
Botulism is an acute neurological pathology caused by a very powerful toxin produced by the bacteria. Clostridium botulinum. In the event of poisoning, symptoms of varying intensity may occur such as :
- digestive signs (abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea);
- eye damage (failure to accommodate, blurred or double vision);
- dry mouth associated with difficulty swallowing;
- neurological manifestations (false paths, muscle paralysis).
In a post published on in Spain, still attached to the “Bordeaux home”. As indicated by the DGS, the report “other cases, in the coming days, linked to this establishment cannot be excluded.”
My message posted 5 minutes ago is already obsolete: a new case in Spain (still linked to the Bordeaux outbreak) has just been reported to us… https://t.co/R1viesGnxg
— benjamin Clouzeau (@clouzeau_b) September 12, 2023
Botulism: biological analyzes are underway
According to the DGS, analyzes are carried out by the National Reference Center for Botulism, in order to obtain biological confirmation of botulism. Investigations as well as food samples are also being analyzed by the Departmental Directorate for Population Protection (DDPP).
The management of botulism is mainly based on symptomatic treatment. Concerning severe forms of the disease, intensive respiratory care with assisted ventilation can be carried out.
